Chapter 71: Supreme Traces

Upon hearing Frans' question, Ain contemplated his answer. After thinking things through quickly, he replied, "You're right, I've been studying alchemy recently."

In the end, Ain decided to reveal a part of his pursuits. It was indeed the truth that he had been studying alchemy recently. As for his spirit master studies, he was still focused on the alchemy prerequisite. So, other than theoretical studies, he hadn't really done anything practical as a spirit master.

"Amazing, alchemy is a difficult field to study," Frans commented with a hint of approval and continued, "I've also begun practicing as an artificer recently. Maybe we can exchange insights on our professions someday."

"Yes! I'm studying to become a mechanic as well. It will be beneficial to exchange our views," Paula added enthusiastically.

Hearing this, Ain was a little surprised. It wasn't extraordinary for a spirit tamer to study another profession on the side, but achieving balance between the two fields was noteworthy. Especially now, when only a couple of months had passed since they all became spirit tamers.

"Mhm, we should definitely exchange insights and gain inspiration from each other someday," Ain agreed with their proposition.

After saying so, he pondered for a second before asking something he was curious about since yesterday, "Frans, what spell did you use to counter Malicious Gaze and Hex: Cursed Lullaby?"

Frans replied readily, "It was Tranquil Thoughts. It's a core spell I learned to assist in artificing. Its main effect is to clear one's mind, but it can increase resistance to mental effects as well. It's a common spell amongst craftsmen professions."

As he said so, Frans cast an inquisitive look at Ain, wondering if he hadn't learned it.

On the other side, realization struck Ain upon hearing Frans' reply.

When he saw Frans' curious look, he explained, "I overlooked the spell because my innate talent, Deep Insight, also has a similar effect. I didn't know about the spell's secondary effect."

That was indeed the case. Tranquil Thoughts was actually listed among the spells in the inheritance book, but Ain didn't learn it. As he just told Frans, his innate talent could achieve a similar, and even better, result in that aspect. Moreover, the description in the book only mentioned the spell's primary effect.

"Oh, I see. Tranquil Thoughts isn't primarily used to resist mental effects. It's just that at Rank-1, our ability to attack the opponent’s mind is very limited, and so are spells that can resist them. There are specialized spells to do so at Rank-2 and above," Frans explained.

Having satisfied his curiosity, Ain chatted with them a little longer before Frans and Paula bid goodbye and entered the spell repository to claim their rewards.

Ain didn’t immediately return home but decided to greet Hugo and Teacher Turner. Hugo was within the top fifty, receiving 10,000 star coins, 10 Essence Heart Pills, and a core spell. Yet, Ain hadn’t seen him in the school store, or the spell repository.

Passing through the empty classroom, Ain arrived at the training hall. Many students would still come here to train, partly because of the Spirit Gathering Array, and partly for Teacher Turner’s advice.

As he walked in, some of the students greeted Ain with heartfelt admiration and enthusiasm. Ain courteously replied to their greetings before finding Hugo.

The two talked about the competition before discussing the rewards.

"Hey, did you claim your rewards this late?" Hugo asked with a smug expression. Seeing this, Ain didn't need to use his innate talent to analyze Hugo’s thoughts. He decided to humor him, "Yeah, what about you?"

"Heh, I was the first one to claim my rewards," Hugo replied complacently. Ain widened his eyes to reveal a look of admiration before instantly returning to normal.

A few minutes later, he greeted Teacher Turner, who had just finished guiding a student. Ain had a good impression of this stern teacher. After receiving a little praise and some extra reminders to work hard, he finally left the academy.

…

The morning sun shone brightly as it marched towards the highest place in the sky.

Ain returned home and immediately retrieved the Secret Phantom Technique.

He planned to postpone everything else and focus on this new meditation technique. After releasing Nox, who began mingling with the pups, Ain took a seat on the bed and began to study the technique.

A couple of hours later, he set the book aside and began to practice. This was the first attributed meditation technique Ain had seen; he spent some extra time studying and comparing it to the Basic Meditation Technique.

As his eyes closed, Ain's mind focused, and his senses gradually sank into his body. This was the effect of Introspect, the first Rank-1 core spell he had learned. Ain would habitually cast this spell whenever he meditated. It allowed him to clearly observe his spirit energy circulation, further amplifying his control.

His spirit energy slowly circulated along a new path, which was vastly different, and more complicated, than the Basic Meditation Technique.

Despite the increased complexity, Ain completed the first circulation with ease. With every cycle completed, he noticed a stark difference from his previous meditation technique. The spirit core's branding process was progressing much faster, and the augment to his body was also greater.

Ain could even sense hints of a chilly, ghostly aura emanating from his body as he trained.

While observing these changes, a hint of gratification appeared in his heart. His efforts these past few months were worth every penny.

Nox was linked to Ain's spirit ring, and immediately noticed the vast internal changes. It floated over to Ain, curiously examining him from various angles, wondering why it felt more comfortable.

Nox was a ghost-attribute spirit pet. Nourishment from a ghost-attribute meditation technique surpassed that of a non-attribute meditation technique. This was just a natural occurrence.

…

Time passed amidst his meditation. Ain's bright room was painted by shadows as the sun's lethargic figure slowly dipped below the opposing horizon.

With a deep breath, Ain awoke from his meditative state, ending his training. After some brief stretching, he immediately moved to the table and began to study alchemy.

Today, Ain's focus was on a previously observed phenomenon. He discovered information pertaining to non-attribute medicines and their attribute traces in the inheritance book.

His original suspicions were correct. All non-attribute items, including medicines, possessed similar attribute traces.

Common attributes, such as fire, wood, poison, etc., lingered at around 8%. Uncommon attributes, such as ice, lightning, ghost, etc., lingered at around 6%. The rarer attributes were all at 4% or lower.

These were all rounded values due to a lack of accurate measurements, and their exact values, referred to as the supreme traces, were unconfirmed. But through extensive research, it was determined that the closer non-attribute items were to the supreme traces, the greater their effects.

This concept was similarly applicable to medicines, directly boosting the medicine’s effects, regardless of grade.

If he could reliably match the medicine’s attribute traces to the supreme traces, it would provide another boost to Ain's training, due to the pills’ increased effectiveness. Furthermore, alchemy could truly become an alternative source of income for him as well.

Learning about all this, Ain's passion overflowed. For the first time since obtaining his innate talent, he had discovered the perfect opportunity to display Scan’s advantage.

Others might be unable to accurately measure attribute traces, but to Ain, it was only a matter of consuming some spirit energy.

That being said, Ain could already foresee the tedious research process, as it completely relied on trial and error.

He could begin by using Scan on some concocted pills.

Then, Ain could concoct more pills while minutely changing various parameters of the alchemy process and observe the changes to the pill's attribute traces.

As long as he could learn what changes in the alchemy process led to those specific changes in the attribute traces, Ain would be able to inch towards the supreme traces, and deduce a modified medicinal formula.

In fact, the practice of modifying medicinal formulas wasn't only specific to Ain.

The general formulas for medicines wouldn’t change. The limit of strictly following a formula was at most high-grade medicines.

Hence, upon mastering a formula by consistently producing high-grade pills, most alchemists and spirit masters would experiment by making small changes to the process, in hopes of discovering a consistent method to produce perfect-grade pills or even match the supreme traces.

These small changes rarely involved altering the ingredients. The quality of the ingredients, alchemist's techniques, and balance of medicinal properties were the primary focus.

Ain’s approach was similar, but he wasn’t focused too much on the grade. What he cared about determining the exact value for the supreme traces. With assistance from Scan, he would be able to modify his formulas once he discovered them.

Although he was itching to begin this venture, the dimming sky outside the window persuaded him otherwise.

After pacifying his urge to continue, Ain arrived at the familiar park for his body tempering training. This was his second foundation, something that couldn’t be overlooked.

He first consumed a Blood Refinement Pill. Then, with a brief warm-up, he assumed the prowling tiger stance and maintained it to the best of his abilities.

As he approached his limit, Ain's body began releasing heat as if he had turned into a brick furnace, increasing the surrounding temperature slightly. His limbs started to tremble intensely, and his entire body flushed red.

When he finally reached his limit, Ain immediately collapsed onto the soft grass while almost hyperventilating.

Although his entire body was sore, he immediately forced himself to raise his hand to check his hololink.

The timer had just reached 29 minutes and 45 seconds.

"Just another quarter minute from mastery."

When he could last thirty minutes in the prowling tiger stance, his physique would reach Advanced Rank-1 and this technique would no longer be beneficial. When that happened, he would need to search for a better body tempering technique.

With this thought, Ain stood up with great determination and continued the remainder of his body tempering routine.